The Child, The Atheist, and The Martyr
by missingthepoint
Summary: Turning the Tide spoilers. Lin remembered the last time she saw her mother and wasn't so afraid.


**A/N:** Major spoilers for Episode 10: Turning the Tides, and you might not like it. I'm throwing up the warning right now, aren't I? Yes, I am. The Legend of Korra belongs to Bryke; because if it did belong to me, this wouldn't have happened. Plus, it's just better that they do own it, okay.

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_"Whatever happens to me, don't look back."_ Had the Mother said it to the Child when she vanished from the Child's life for eternity? Yes. But the Mother had known that it was the best thing she could do and had reserved her entirety to the truth, and she continued to repeat the mantra, _To keep her alive, To keep her safe_, as she curved her hands around the Child's tear stained face, imprinting the final design of the Child's face in her memory. And into the light, she was swept up, snuffed into the forever darkness, and it happened so suddenly that the Child could not reach out to the Mother in those final moments, opening her arms out in a patient embrace that would never be received.

_"Whatever happens to me, don't turn back."_ The Child had grown into The Martyr, and she kneeled before the Atheist who was nothing short of a complete monster. As she gazed upwards at him, her mint green eyes smother in defiance and prepared for what was to come, she returned to the time when the Mother had held her in her arms, protected her from all monstrosities that aimed to do her harm. Never. To protect the city, to preserve the Avatar legacy, and to keep the ones she cared most about was what mattered to her, and she looked on, gazed into his shapely mask, dark and foreboding, without a shed of fear. Behind her, he stepped slowly and steady, and it had not taken a second's moment when the fingers were pressed on the back of her head. Automatically, she leaned her head back, aware that she could not oppose the inevitable but proud that she had remained resolute, the lightest of touches was pressed onto her steel gray hair, and it did not dig uncomfortably into the scalp. Releasing a sigh, a sigh that held much more than anyone would believe, she closed her eyes, and let the tension flow from her veins, into the dark rain that approached.

Not a sting, not a burn, but a quick suddenness, a tremble, or it could have been a rumble, perhaps. And came the emptiness, the body quickly realized that something was not correct, and it screamed in terror of what happened. She, however, did not scream, but a light gasp slipped out her mouth, and her eyes dilated to extreme as the humble rain began to pour down. Then she leaned to the side, no support to hold her body up, and she slammed onto the hard ground beneath her, losing consciousness as smoothly as the execution had occurred. T_he Avatar is safe, Tenzin and his family his safe, Tenzin,_ her thoughts began to blur and evaporate, I did the right thing, _Mother...Mother, I._ The line was abruptly cut short, and she drifted into a dreamless sleep that gave no hope to a bright morning. Nonetheless, the Martyr was pleased with what she had done, if not wounded of the cost that had to be paid, and as her eyes grew weaker and weaker, finally closing as the Atheist hovered above her with his mask gleaming in make believe triumph, her hands clutched and pounded onto the Earth below her. Nothing was heard except the furious rain that pounded on down, as if the heavens were crying tears of grief.

_Never, _a warm sound was heard from the Earth and traveled to the air, lingering in for several seconds, but went silent among the Atheist and his men, _Give up on you._

_"I promise, Mother!" _Laughed the Child as she crushed her petite frame into the firmer and larger frame of the Mother, _"I never will."_

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**A/N:** Never forget: June 16, 2012. I would love to have some feedback on this; I haven't been writing at my normal pace as of usual. This is a revamped version of the original I posted on Tumblr, which is very addicting. Yes, I did sob like a baby when it happened to Lin, but now, I've found a new ship to ship! Thank you to all those who read, review, and any other feedback. I'll love to know what you think about this and any constructive criticism you're willing to offer._  
_


End file.
